Monday, May 01, 2006

May Day

May Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For some perspective, Wikipedia provides some history of the day:

International Workers' Day (a name used interchangeably with May Day) is the
commemoration of the Haymarket Riot of 1886 in Chicago, Illinois, and a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement. The 1 May date is used because in 1884 the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, inspired by labor's 1872 success in Canada, demanded an eight-hour workday in the United States to come in effect as of May 1, 1886. This resulted in a general strike and the riot in Chicago of 1886, but eventually also in the official sanction of the eight-hour workday. The May Day Riots of 1894 and May Day Riots of 1919 occurred subsequently.
So we can try to slam it as a day for the communists, but it has a history important to all of us. So, a toast to the workers of the world.

It will also be interesting to see how the day turns out, with protests, marches, and boycots. Our idea of the day may just change when the day is done.

2 comments:

  1. Super color scheme, I like it! Good job. Go on.
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  2. This site is one of the best I have ever seen, wish I had one like this.
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